2geonomads

Thursday 15th May 2014.

Awake to still overcast conditions but a surprisingly good breakfast ( the room was only 65 marks/ 33 euros) gets us on our way with the first stop being the town of Trebinje. We had driven through the outskirts of this town on our way north to Mostar but after reading the notes more carefully in our guidebook we thought that we needed to see it at closer quarters, given its many attractions.

Whilst it did not really live up to the glowing endorsement of the guidebook ( which ranked it as one of the most beautiful towns in Herzegovina , boasting 260 sunny days per year. ) it is a very attractive  town nestled under Leotar Mountain with the fine 16th century Arslanagica Bridge and a charming central square. The view as we approach the city from the north is very impressive and Gail makes the moment even more memorable by mistaking 4 men using whipper-snippers as metal-detectors checking for land-mines!

A drive up to the top of Crkvina Hill with its new Orthodox Church rewards us with a panoramic view of the whole town. On the way back to town Gail mistakes a donkey for a goat but I am putting it down to altitude-sickness.

Short drive over the border into Croatia and on to Dubrovnik Airport where we drop off our Skoda rental car and take a cab into Dubrovnik Old Town.

We leave Bosnia & Herzegovina with some very fond memories of the magnificent Mostar and the wonderful scenery we experienced throughout our travels in this country.  However, it is very difficult not to feel deep sadness at the trials and tribulations which the population has had to endure over many years. There is clearly a real determination to recover from the terrible damage inflicted on the people during the Balkan War but one senses that it will be a very long, difficult road back. Re-erecting the buildings is the easy part but the psychological scars will not be so easily healed.

Our accommodation for the next two nights is a very comfortable 2 bedroom flat right in the centre of this remarkable city. After having checked in and been welcomed by the owners we embark on a walking tour of the centre but decide to delay the city wall tour till the following day as time is running short and we need to get full value from the 20 euro entrance fee.

The city is what we had expected but having spent so many days far from  the madding crowds we’re struggling to cope with the hordes of tourists. June to August must be an absolute nightmare.

Stock up on provisions, including a bottle of local white wine and we return to the flat intending to cook some gnocchi for dinner. Eventually, we settle on wine and a bar of chocolate as the pizzas from lunchtime seem to have satisfied our hunger.

In bed before 10 again so we must be getting old .

Cheers

The Obese Ferret.